I am pleased to learn that. In its quest to help preserve the utility and potential of indigenous livestock breeds. The Indian Dairy Association has arranged for a Seminar and Workshop on “Indigenous Cattle Breeds and their role in the new millennium” at Erode, on the 24th & 25tyh March 2001. I wish this endeavor all success.

As a part of this exercise the Kangayam Cattle Show has been arranged at Kangayam on the 24th March 2001. It is only apt that Kangayam, the capital of Kongunadu, has been chosen as the venue. Many may not know that the Kangayam breed of cattle is also known as “Kanganad” or “Kongu” having derived its name from “Kongunadu” Eminent vetenirians Dairy experts’ researchers, breeders, milk producers. Farmers and extension workers will attend the seminar cum Workshop at Erode.

I thank the South Zone Chairman of the Indian Dairy Association, Shri Krishna Chidambi for bestowing upon me the honor of delivering the Keynote address at the Kangayam Cattle Show in my capacity as what he puts it. “The Scion of the pioneering and renowned Kangayam Breeder’s family”, a pleasure which I am unable to comply with personally due to unavoidable circumstance. My cousin, Shri Kuttapalayam Swami Nathan Sivasenapathy, whose family has also contributed to the development of the world famous Kangayam Breed, has consented to deliver my keynote address in my absence. My younger brother Shri Arjun Manradiar will represent my family.

Since this Cattle Show is a prelude to the Workshop cum Seminar on ‘Indigenous Cattle Breeds and their role in the new millennium’, I feel that it will well be in order for me to air my views and trust they will be found useful

I am not able to say when the present Kangayam Breed of Cattle arrived on the scene. Nevertheless it is very clear that the parent pure bred stock took shape at the hands of my great grand father the late, Rai Bahadur Nallathambi Sarkarai Manradiar has greatly to the building up of the breed. He could therefore be called the chief architect of the Kangayam Breed.

This work was carried on appreciably by my father the late Pattagarar of Palayakottai, Sri Nalla Scnapathi Sarkarai Manradiar until the Palayakottai Cattle Farm Was Deprived of the grazing lands under the Rural Land Ceiling laws. Cattle’s rearing which as it were was an uneconomical vocation could not be pursued further with good breeding results there after.

Cattle shows such as this one are conducted to encourage the development of indigenous breeds. This then brings us to the question, what should be done to save the Kangayam Breed, one of the best known breeds in India “by beauty of form” and for its capability as a draught animal, from fast approaching extinction.

In this exercise, I wish to recall the wise words of J.A.P.R. Kothavala, the imperial Dairy Experts, Bangalore who, as early as 17th October, 1935 has said “the Pattagar, through his foresight, now realizes that with the advert of mechanical transport and electricity in rural areas, breeding cattle merely for draught requirements cannot be the best proposition and this work must therefore be associated with dairy farming”.

What was felt as a compelling need 66 years ago assumes even greater importance after the ushering in of the ‘white revolution’. The need therefore is make the Kangayam. Breed’ dual purpose’ animals in the true sense without, of course, sacrificing the purity of the breed and impairing the draught qualities

The experience gained in this regard at the Governments Livestock Research Station at Hosur whose foundation stock in the purest form was obtained from the Pattagar’s Farm during 1924-25, will stand in good stead. It is here that the then Minister for Agriculture, Sri M.Bakthavatsalam’s words of encouragement will be a source of inspiration. As early as May 1957 he opined that, ‘though the results so far achieved to make the Kangayam breed a dual purpose animals are not quite encouraging, the potentialities of this breed in that direction have been well established both at Hosur and Palayakottai. With such wealth of data available it must be possible for the ‘experts’ in the line to plan and programmed properly and bring about a rapid development of the desired qualities in the not distant future through artificial insemination’.

Why this cannot be achieved, I do not understand, After all, the purest form of Kangayam breed of cattle may be lacking in numbers, but not in foundation Stock. If the architect of the Kangayam Breed Sri Bahadhur Nallathambi Sarkarai Mandradiar Could, single handedly increase the strength of the pure stock from 50 to 2000 in a span of 50 years, given the rapid advancement in the infrastructure available now, it should be possible to achieve best results in quick time. Half hearted effort does not produce half results; it produces no results. So. Let us be sincere in our efforts to achieve the above goal which is to make this breed economically viable for it to thrive. Let us set ourselves this avowed goal. Enthusiasm without direction is like wildfire and leads to frustration. Goals give a sense of direction. And goals are dreams with a deadline and an action plan. Let us all strive to make our goal worthy.

The setting up the proposed Kangayam Breeders Society will Contribute a great deal towards achieving this goal. I thank Shri Krishna Chidambi, the Chairman of the Indian Dairy Association” (South Zone), for inviting me to play an important role in the proposed society, as the 36th descendant of the Pattagar Family and the grandson of the Architect of the Kangayam Breeding, and the first representative of the people of the Kangayam Constituency, what more can I Ask. I accept the offers with gratitude & humility. I assure this august gathering that I will do my very best to justify the confidence reposed in me.

For a start I wish to emphasize the following points which I feel need to be truly and elaborately dealt with:

Maintenance of pure bred stock bank:
How one should go about it whether selected members of the Kangayam Breeders Societies will be entrusted with this responsibility and what will be the backup support they will be getting from which source.

The role that the Co-operative Milk Producers Societies will be asked to play: whether they can persuade their members who will be genuinely interested to maintain at least one pure bred Kangayam Cow, irrespective of whether or not it produces milk economically, so that development of this breed into a dual purpose animals is made possible through artificial insemination over a period of time. The veterinary support provided by the Milk Producers Co-operative Union, and its guidance for maintaining proper records for statistical purposes, supported by the volunteering farmers’ efforts will surfeits ensure the desired results. Measures for getting these farmers interested to continue to participate in such exercise have to be thought of.

Measure have also to be taken on a war footing to prevent indiscriminate culling of pure bred healthy animals for slaughtering, which has now become an enigma.

Obtaining special grants from the Sate and Central Governments for the above purposes as required.

Preparation of a detailed project report in this regards should assume utmost priority.

A think tank comprising of dedicated people with vision drawn from researchers, farmers, breeders, allied institutions, Organizations & associations has to be set up to form the brain trust to assist, guide & encourage the above discussed efforts in making the famous breed of Kangayam Cattle evolve from purely a draught breed into that of a dual purpose animals, by increasing its milk producing capabilities.

In conclusion permit me to state that opportunity is set to be always under our feet. All we need to do is to recognize it. The same opportunity never knocks twice. Therefore let us make use of the opportunity made available to us.

By the South Zone Chapter of the Indian Dairy Association, and set our aims high in our efforts to improve the role of the indigenous Kangayam Cattle Breed in the new millennium, and its contribution to the national wealth. No doubt, in our attempts to succeed, we will come across critics. They always make it a habit to sit at the side lines and shout at doers telling them how to do it right. But remember, critics are not the leaders or doers and therefore criticism from any quarter that is not constructive should not deter us in our noble endeavor. Effort, persistence and positive attitude alone will help us to succeed. Nothing else matters. Nothing should hold us back.